


An Education.

by reylomami



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad Parenting, Elementary School, Eventual Smut, F/M, Luke and Ben are in ok terms, Single Parents, Tension, ben is a teacher, is he in for the child or for her dynamic, redeemed but broken ben vibes, rey isn't the smartest but she's a dedicated mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:41:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylomami/pseuds/reylomami
Summary: Ben Solo can’t help but fleetingly wonder about those almond-shaped eyes in those days when the school invites parents over for student-based events and parent-teacher conferences.He finally finds those same pair of eyes in his own conference one semester.// Updated daily! Tags to be added onto, with appropriate TWs.





	1. The Outsiders

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a thing. After watching "About A Boy" again. But this is not a direct AU of that. Just elements that are inspired from it. I hope you guys enjoy this! I've laid out the plot and have finished writing halfway, so updates will be plenty and bountiful I hope!

Once or twice a semester, he would see those same almond-shaped, hazel eyes.

A brief glance and shared eye contact were enough to pique his interest the first time two years ago. The last time he had seen such an angelic face was when he had visited the Met Art Museum. He never thought he’d see an angelic face in the flesh. One that is worn down by the world he lives in.

She had been alone in the hallway, scampering around and looking a little frazzled when he was walking back to the staffroom from the restroom. She was donned in hospital scrubs – a nurse, perhaps – when she caught sight of him and hurried over to ask for directions.

“Do you know where the principal’s office is?”

When he had looked at her, he was stunned. “Just down the right, miss.”

“Thank you,” she had huffed in relief. And as if she needed to justify herself to him, “My son got in trouble and this is the first time, so I didn’t really know where the way is.”

He was dumbstruck by her voice and all he could muster was, “Okay.”

She was turning around to hurry off by then. He had not missed the eagerness in the way she looked over her shoulder to cast one last grateful smile. “Thank you again!”

It was almost three and a half semesters since when those pair of eyes first teased the corners of his mind. The next time he saw her, it was from a distance, or a mere passing by during the last school anniversary event.

She hadn’t seen him when they brushed shoulders going in opposite ways in the crowded carnival fair – she had been too busy attending to her son.

But that was alright with him. It was just one encounter that somehow left a longer impression on him.

He will get on with life.

Even if it means being haunted by one beautiful face.

 

* * *

 

Teaching at a school was never part of Ben’s plan, but the turn of events in his career has led him here. The least he could do was be grateful for having the choice to teach a subject that he has since rekindled his old passion for.

Luke had been the one to pitch the new job opening to Ben when he left the leading research company, First Order Industries, for good. The salary of a teacher was far below what he initially earned before. But it had far greater benefits than he could ever ask for: the slower pace of the job, the low-key life style it promised, and the independence in lesson-planning had enticed Ben enough to sign on.

He signed up as an English teacher, of all subjects – it was the furthest thing from his previous job as a researcher, but it was his favourite subject before and, not to mention, his long-neglected passion.

He called it his _mid-thirties’_ retirement job.

“Teaching is harder than you think, kid. It’s far more noble than any job you’ve ever had,” Luke had told him.

The veteran teacher had to pull strings to get Ben’s application considered, in spite of his past. So had it not been for the circumstance of their new reconciled relationship, Ben would have shut his uncle down with a retort.

By his fourth semester, Luke Skywalker suffered a mild stroke that forced him to go on leave. Ben Solo, the only other English teacher who was familiar with Luke’s syllabus and readings, was the obvious alternative to take on the class mid-semester.

The class was a fourth-grade class, so it was not too much for Ben Solo to handle, given how he was mainly appointed to the older classes preparing for high school. Picking up after where Luke had left off was easy – the old man had used the same texts that he used from his time as a student in school too _. Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hamlet_ \- the exact, bare necessities that Ben had been tasked to read and learn in his time.

Teaching the class was a breeze – it was the easiest thing to do among his other tasks, given how the syllabus and marking schemes had been laid out for him beforehand already. The only gripe he had was the lone kid, Parker, who always had his eyes cast out during lessons and barely feels the need to engage in class.

“Did you write your reflection on chapter twelve, Parker?” He had asked once after class.

“Sorry, no I didn’t, Mr Solo.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t read the chapter.”

“Well, why didn’t you read the chapter?”

The kid seemed to fidget on his toes a little under Ben’s stare. Lucky for him, he was perched on his desk, trying to be understanding in spite of his disappointment. Had he been standing to his full height he would have come across as more intimidating.

“I lost the book.”

His brows raised at this answer. “You … lost it?”

Clearly, there was no where they were going with this. Without waiting, Ben turned slightly around to pull something from the corner of his desk – his own copy of _The Outsiders_.

“Here.” He stretched out the book to Parker. “Don’t lose this.”

The kid licked his lips, avoiding his eyes, and took his teacher’s copy hesitantly.

“I want you to read the chapter and submit a one-page reflection on it by Monday, alright?”

The kid nods.

“And I’d like to get my copy back too.”

“I’ll return it, Mr Solo.”

Ben crosses his arms and nods. “Alright, go have a good weekend.”

When Monday came, Ben receives his copy back as well as the one-page reflection he had asked for. The effort was there, but it was evident that the kid had not known what he was writing. He thought to note down the student’s behavior and progress for the parent-teacher conference that was round the corner.

There was something about Parker that was not sitting right with him.

Which was why he had scheduled Parker’s parents for the last available timing for the parent-teacher conference that Friday. Classes were cancelled to make way for it, and Ben found himself fixing up each portfolio of Luke Skywalker’s students to be handed over for their parents’ perusal.

He was just finishing Parker’s portfolio when a hurried knock rapped on his classroom door.

“Mr Solo?”

He looks up and is greeted by the once-familiar angelic face.

 _She_ was Parker’s mom.

“Uh, hi.” Ben drops his pen and makes to stand up. “Please, come in.”

She seems to recognize him by the way she smiles a little hesitantly. Her hair was still drying from what he assumed to be a rushed shower and it was noticeably damping the side of her blouse.

“Thanks for coming by, Mrs Niima. I’ve been meaning to – “

“ – Rey’s just fine,” she requests. Ben meets her eyes and he nods.

“Sure. Rey.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ben runs a hand through his hair and gestures for both of them to sit. He filters through the stack of portfolios for Parker’s file just when Rey clears her throat.

“You know, I had thought this was supposed to be Mr Skywalker’s class.”

Ben’s unsure of what to feel under her benign gaze.

“Mr Skywalker’s on extended leave at the moment. I was called in to take over his class halfway,” he dutifully explained, meeting her eyes with as much professionalism he could muster. “That’s not a problem for you, right?” Not that either of them could do anything about it.

“No, yes, it’s perfect honestly.”

Ben finds Parker’s portfolio and extends it out to her as she continues, “I was just looking forward to Parker being under his class because I’ve been a huge fan of his previous books before.”

This catches Ben’s attention. Only a few have recognized his uncle as a children’s book author from decades ago. “Really? Those haven’t been on bookshelves for awhile though.”

Rey shrugs. “It was in mine and it was all I read before. It’s just unfortunate I couldn’t get Parker to read them when he was younger.” She smiles a little at him before nodding, as if to get back to the point of their business.

“Well, we can fix a meeting with you and Mr Skywalker as soon as he recovers.”

It wasn’t much of a promise, but it was the least he could gift to her for unknowingly gracing his thoughts every once in a while.

“On the note of Parker,” Ben continues, weaving his hands together on the desk, “I did have some concerns about his engagement in lessons.”

Rey’s brows perk up a little at this.

“ – And I can’t be sure if his detachment is unique to my class, actually.”

“Is he being a problem?”

“No, no, not like that,” he reassures her quickly. There was a hint of defense in her question. “He’s too _quiet_ actually. And the work he submits are – “ He thinks of a better way to phrase it. “… well, half-assed.”

When he sees Rey’s unconvinced face, he helps her from across the table to flip through Parker’s portfolio.

“He’s barely catching up with the texts assigned in class. They’re not required to read the whole book, just certain chapters I assign – and still, he barely meets the minimum.” Ben fiddles through the scarcity of paper submissions by Parker and pulls out one of the earlier works submitted.

“The only thing he did well was in our creative writing assignment, before Mr Skywalker left. But that I assumed was because of the lack of a reference text.”

Rey frowns at this. “No offence, Mr Solo, but could it just be that your teaching is not up to par with Mr Skywalker’s?”

The way she said it sounded so innocent and non-hostile. Still, Ben raises his brows in turn at her audacity.

He clears his throat. “We handle handovers very carefully here, ma’am. And believe me, I was under his class when I was Parker’s age before.”

Rey chews her lip and listens on.

“Parker seems like a great kid with potential,” Ben says.

It was the cliched beginning of his conclusive remarks for the other parents whom he had just met.

“But his mind is clearly always elsewhere.” He reclines on his chair, waving his hand in the surrounding air. “I don’t know how to help him when I don’t know the source of his distractions. I was hoping we could identify that from this meeting. It might help Parker run the final leg of the term.”

Rey takes her time to ponder about this, giving Ben the opportunity to study her in turn.

The way her brows frown in deep thought reminds him of the classic, romanticist painting he saw in a museum, of a Victorian ingenue, who was deep in thought in her study.

When no word comes out from Rey just yet, he gently prods, “Perhaps there are household issues that are worrying him?”

Rey shakes her head. “No, it’s just the both of us and we’re very content with the way things work.”

Somehow, this fails to convince the both of them.

Ben shifts on his seat as Rey continues to think again.

“Our last reading was on _The Outsiders_.” He pulls his copy of the book he had lent to Parker and shows it to Rey. “Did he mention anything about it? Our final assessment will be based on the final chapters.”

Rey’s frown deepens at the sight of the book. “Parker never mentioned that there were additional books needed for this class.”

Now this piques his attention. Ben touches his chin and frowns back at her.

“Rey, the book list has been said before by Mr Skywalker himself. The other students have their copies on-hand when I ask for it.”

Realisation dawns in her face and Ben watches her sigh deeply.

“Then there goes the problem. My son didn’t tell me to get him those books.”

She prepares a tacky small notebook from her bag and turns to a fresh to-do list page. “I’ll get those books soonest for him. Would this help him in pulling up his grades?”

Ben looks at her like she was crazy. The term was ending, and the assessments for the previous texts were done.

“Just _The Outsiders_ by SE Hinton will suffice, ma’am.”

Rey diligently writes it down and prepares to leave, evidently disappointed with her takeaways from this meeting.

“There is,” Ben adds quickly, “A way we can help Parker pull up his grades in time.”

She looks at him, hopefulness pooling her almond-shaped eyes in spite of the dejected look that wears her face.

“As I said, Parker writes well as he had demonstrated from his first assignment. I just need to know he can write well too when there’s a reference text.”

“So another shot at the other assignments?”

“Just two of the previous assignments he failed at,” he clarifies.

He takes out a copy of the book list that was handed out to the class at the beginning and highlights two other texts that Parker will need to write on.

“I’ll brief Parker on the assignment, but just to keep you in the loop, if he could get these done _well_ before the term ends, he won’t have to spend summer school with me.”

Rey takes the copy gratefully and smiles at him. It almost takes his breath away.

“Thank you, Mr Solo – my son needs this.”

“Don’t thank me just yet.”

“Right,” she says, making her way to stand. “I’ll be sure Parker gets to this.”

“That would be great.” He extends his hand for a shake. “Wouldn’t want to have to come back to conduct summer school classes anyway.”

She grins wider at this and shakes his hand.


	2. Bigot

“ _Johnny’s death … meant he_ ’,” Ben pauses, squinting over the scraggly handwriting of one of his students’ reflection paper. “ _Johnny’s death meant he was the weakest of the Greasers_?”

_Jesus Christ._

The class clearly has not absorbed his lessons. All those talks about the preciousness of life, and the realisation with which the two main characters, Ponyboy and Johnny, learned along the way were clearly sorely missed by his class. He was going to have to recalibrate –

“Mr Solo?”

Ben looks up from his marking.

“Parker?”

The kid does not look as disengaged as he would in class. In fact, he looked … _irritated_. Ben frowns at this.

“What’s the matter?”

“ – You made my mother worried.” Parker struts in with a murderous glint in his eyes. It was strange that he has Rey’s eyes.

Perplexed at what the boy said, Ben inclines his head fully towards him.

“What are you talking about, kid?”

“Your books!” He almost yells.

Ben warns him with a look. To his credit, Parker makes the effort to keep his tone in check.

“My mom can’t afford those books.”

“Parker. There are just three of them.”

“She can barely pay for the rent and my pocket money isn’t enough for even two of the books.”

Parker has Ben’s fullest attention now. “Listen, kid. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there’s the library for that. And are you not on the school’s financial help – “

“They cut me off when my grades fell short last sem,” Parker fumes. “And the library doesn’t even have your blasted books!”

The kid’s raised voice pulls the final straw. Ben gets up from his seat, and his towering height immediately silences him.

Somehow, the fleeting look of fear in Parker’s eyes keeps Ben in check. It brought memories of the fear he naturally induced unto his subordinates in his time with the F.O.

“You know we can talk this out properly, right?”

“I am – “

“I don’t think you are.”

“Fine.”

Parker purses his lips and avoids his teacher’s piercing gaze. If it wasn’t for the emptiness of the classroom, Ben would not have heard the kid’s meek voice resonate through the air between them.

“I just want to help my mom, okay?” His voice cracks.

They both choose to ignore it.

“We only have enough – even when she says we have more. And I know she can’t afford to get your books. Especially not now when it’s going to be useless in a few weeks’ time after school ends.”

There was something loaded in Parker’s words. Like there was an ugly memory behind them that Ben was not privy to.

A momentary silence passes by the both of them. Ben is thinking.

With every second he keeps Parker waiting, the kid noticeably gets more agitated.

“Alright,” Ben decides. “Come follow me.”

 

They find themselves in the bookstore and Ben pulls out the three assigned books from the shelves. Parker follows him with a curious and confused look.

When they line at the cashier, a couple of other students have noticed the teacher-student duo and begin stealing suspicious glances at them. It unsettles Parker. But Ben’s trained indifference seems to be a fortitude for him to keep his cool.

“Listen, kid.” Ben sets the books on the cashier counter before turning to Parker. “I need to know you won’t lose these.”

The cashier scans the first book.

“I’ll try not to.”

Ben accepts the candor but follows it up with another question. “I also need to know that you’re going to read the chapters I assigned and submit a good work on it.”

The cashier scans the second book and is reaching out for the third one. Ben holds it for a second though, casting a glance at the cashier to seek his understanding for the moment.

“Parker, do you hear me?”

The kid seems to have trouble making a promise. “Mr Solo I’m not a good writer – “

“I just need to know you’ll put in the effort. That’s all.”

Ben sees that Parker’s about to hesitate again, so he interjects, “It’s a privilege to have a second chance, Parker. Trust me, I know.”

He cringes a little at the flashbacks that naturally come to his mind.

“And your mom’s counting on it too.”

The boy looks at him uncertainly still and chews on his lip. “But what if I still fail?”

“Not unless you do your best, kid.”

“I barely have the time to read.”

Ben looks at Parker with genuine curiosity now. “You’re nine. You _have_ time to read.”

Somehow, the kid is still not comfortable. It itches Ben to find out why. Was he working part-time at this age? Were there domestic issues that’s keeping him on his nerves?

“Okay, you know what – we can arrange for that. Every Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, you read to me for an hour after class. You should be able to cover the assigned chapters in due time then.”

It seems to do the trick because the kid relents and nods.

“I’ll do what I can, Mr Solo.”

Ben releases his hand from where it was holding the third book from the cashier. It finally gets scanned and is bagged with the other two purchases.

“You have to understand, Parker, I need you to do more than you can.” He hands over some cash to finish the payment. “There’s no ‘try’ in this.”

When done, Ben hands the bagged books to him. “It’s either this or summer school with me. Now we both wouldn’t want that, would we?”

The idea of summer school sufficiently disgusts Parker. “Yes, you’re right.” He looks into the bag of newly purchased books and does not believe his luck, nor the act of kindness he thinks he does not deserve.

“Thanks, Mr Solo.”

Ben pockets his hands as he leads the way out of the book store. “Don’t thank me just yet. We’ll see how you go, Parker. In the meanwhile, you can tell your mother that you borrowed these for an extended duration from the library.”

“Why can’t I just say that you bought it?”

“School protocols, kid. If others find out, next thing you know, I’ll be paying for every kid’s tuition fees.”

A smile spreads across the boy’s face. Its contagious. The corner of Ben’s lips tug a little at the sight of the relieved tension in Parker’s eyes.

“Sure. It’s our secret.”

 

 

When Ben finds himself doing his own leisure reading of Dostoyevsky that night, in the comforts of his own bachelor’s pad, he cannot help but wonder about Parker and his mother.

It’s hard to erase the doomed look in Parker’s eyes when he had first entered his classroom. The kid was clearly going through more than the average kid does.

Ben knows that he shouldn’t feel too curious about it though. He had not been the kind to sympathise before. Perhaps the amount of time he has spent in a school - being surrounded by kids and wholesome adults - have changed him and his perspectives a bit.

Amidst his thinking, Ben finishes four chapters without having absorbed any of the contents. He only realized this when his phone began to vibrate. The caller ID was Leia.

It chills his blood.

Instinctively, he turns it off and decides to turn in for the night.

 

***

 

Parker lies awake on his bed, as he normally would every other night until his mother comes into his room. He would usually wait to welcome his mother back from her day shift at the hospital or wait for her to say goodnight to him before she leaves for her night shift.

Today had been her late afternoon shift. He hears her arrive soon enough and he sits up, waiting for her to reach his room.

“Parker?” Rey pops her head through the door. She’s a bit surprised to see him sitting up awake on his bed. “Why are you still up?”

There’s an anxious look on her boy’s face.

Inevitably, her face frowns to match his too. “What’s wrong, love?”

When Rey sits on his bedside and pushes his hair aside, he sighs, “Mom, do we have money?”

The question takes her by surprise. Parker wasn’t one to ask this question in a bid to fulfill superficial ulterior motives. His question rang with the weight of an adult’s responsibility. And it aches her a little that her boy is growing up and realizing how difficult the world around him can be.

“Of course, we do. Why do you ask that?”

She then remembers the books she was supposed to get.

After the parent-teacher conference and grocery-shopping from last Friday, she had returned home to recount their funds. The mini anxiety attack she suffered from then clearly scared Parker.

Her earnings as a nurse were enough, but a salary like that forces them to have a very lean and tight budget. It was very a careful budget she was treading the both of them on. Parker never had brand new toys when he was younger because of it. His textbooks were all secondhand too.

“Oh yes, your storybooks – “

“Not _storybooks_ , Mom. Mr Solo calls them reference texts.”

“ – I’ll get them first thing tomorrow.” She assures him as convincingly as possible.

But Parker knew better. He had seen the handful of nights where his mother would tear up when calculating their monthly household bills and budget. The nights when insomnia prevents her from sleeping, forcing her to sneak into Parker’s room and cuddle him.

“It’s ok, Mom. You don’t have to,” Parker says, shaking his head. His light brown hair ruffles at this and Rey sweeps it aside once more. “I managed to borrow them for an extended duration.”

Rey grins a little. “That’s very helpful, Parker.”

“I know.”

“You’re a true hustler like your own mother, huh?”

“Mom, please.”

She pinches Parker’s nose to his dissatisfaction and pulls him into a tight embrace. “Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?”

“I’m nine. I don’t need an adult to accompany me to sleep,” he mumbles, crushed by her ensnaring embrace.

“What does that have to do with it?”

“Monsters don’t exist in my closet anymore.”

“So what?”

“It means there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

With all their financial woes, and the worries she tries to hide from her kid, Rey feels a lump form in her throat. She forces herself to smile at what her boy said.

“Yes, that’s quite right, love.”


	3. Paul Newman

“You just start whenever you’re ready.”

Parker stands awkwardly in front of Ben’s desk. He does not notice the kid’s agitation as he readies his attention into his pile of marking. When Parker does not start after a few seconds however, Ben looks up with raised brows.

“You can sit, if you want to, you know.”

The kid listens to him and hesitatingly opens his own copy of _The Outsiders_.

Eventually, he begins to read aloud.

Ben did not think their little arrangement of Parker reading aloud while he in the meanwhile finished his marking would work, but Parker’s quiet willingness to salvage whatever grades he could was heartening. Reading aloud helped for the meek and quiet boy, he later realizes.

“ _’_ _Chapter one: When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home_ ,’” Parker reads.

When he seems to be getting his own rhythm, Ben decides he can afford to get back to marking his other students’ work.

“ _’I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman – he looks tough and I don’t – but I guess my own looks aren’t so bad_.’” Parker fidgets again at this. It would have irritated Ben a little had he not been laser-focused on his own work.

“Mr Solo?”

“What is it, Niima.”

“Who’s Paul Newman?”

Ben stops his marking and indulges the kid’s question.

“He’s an actor. Think of it as kids these days looking up to Brad Pitt.” He wasn’t too sure if kids even watched Brad Pitt films anymore as he did back when _Se7en_ came out.

“My mom says Brad Pitt’s no longer relevant.”

“Well, which actor do you think is relevant.” It wasn’t a question, more of an obliging follow-up.

“Seth Rogen?”

“You watch too many movies.”

“Only to keep my mom company.”

Ben pauses before he can tell him to read again.

The boy clearly cares for his mother a lot. It’s clearly evident that she is at the forefront of his every thought. Not all kids show such fierce care for their parents at that age. And Parker does not realise how much he shows it in his smallest actions and words.

It’s hard to say if Ben was the same to his own parents.

“If you don’t finish three chapters this afternoon, you’re going to have to read to your mom then.”

It was meant as a threat to finish up, but the way the boy’s brows perk up seem to suggest that Ben had merely given him an idea.

 

 

Reading with Mr Solo soon enough became Parker’s favourite part of the school week. Even if it consisted mainly of himself reading aloud, he enjoys the conversations he has with his new temporary English teacher.

Three afternoons with Mr Solo were not enough as he learned. He’s always looking forward to it. Mr Solo is a kind man even if he did not exactly give off that impression. Nonetheless, he’s funny in a smart way and Parker cannot help but aspire to be as cool and intellectual as Mr Solo is – even if he’s still struggling to keep up with Mr Solo’s complex thought processes. The teacher is always  sharp enough to pick up Parker’s senses and slow things down for him.

After their fifth session (their second week), Parker finds himself on the dining table with his book in hand at home that night. Even long after his reading session with Mr Solo, he continued reading three more chapters when he got very hooked with the Greaser boys.

“Alright, kid – just make sure you finish your other class’ homework,” Mr Solo had told him in reaction to his eager outburst to find out how _The Outsiders_ ended.

Parker took note of the suggestion his teacher told him: to scribble notes on the things that spoke out to him from the book, or that made him feel unsettled. He said that they would explore it in his next reading session.

“What are you doing there, Parker?”

Parker looks up and sees his mother walking into the kitchen in her hospital scrubs, ready to go for her night shift.

“Reading.”

Rey looks at him with a rather surprised look. “Your storybooks?”

“ _Reference texts_ , Mom,” Parker corrects her, clearly offended at the term ‘storybooks’.

His mother chuckles at him however and walks over. “Nothing’s wrong with calling it storybooks, love.”

“You make it sound like I’m _five_.” Parker turns his attention back to finish reading the chapter. “Anyway, Mr Solo’s been very good at helping me understand this book.”

With mild interest as Rey checks her phone for any messages before she leaves, she hovers over her son to see what he’s reading. “Oh yeah, what did you learn then?”

“Oh, you know – trends back then. Paul Newman being the Brad Pitt in the characters’ time.”

“How is that relevant?”

“We get to understand the personalities of the characters better.”

“Well, that’s nice.”

“And sometimes, I think I see myself in them too.”

“You do?”

Parker turns to a page and shows it to his mother. “We’re reading from Ponyboy’s perspective. And he talks about how he loves his brothers, even if it gets difficult.”

“But Parker – you don’t have any brothers.”

“Well you see, Ponyboy’s eldest brother, Darry, works too much to support his younger brothers. It sucks the life out of him,” Parker thinks. “But he does it out of love. And Ponyboy lives with that even if he doesn’t get along with Darry at the beginning.”

Rey frowns at Parker, who seems oddly at peace with what he just said. She’s unsure of what to say to her kid, who sometimes surprises her with his natural wit and sharp intuition at a young age.

Rey never realized her fullest academic capabilities and it never felt so profound right then in front of her son. He was implying something that she is afraid to read into.

Education was a luxury that she could only afford after taking up odd jobs throughout her youth. And when Parker’s dad came into the picture, she got the necessary finances to study nursing – back when she thought all of it weren’t transactional in nature.

“I like the way Ponyboy thinks,” Parker continues. “It’s like I’m him and he’s me. He sees everything happening around him, but has little power over it. He only has his thoughts to accompany him, besides Johnny and Sodapop Curtis – but you know, he can never always be honest with them. They know different sides of Ponyboy.”

“And what side of you do I know, Parker?” Rey has her eyes on him now, curiosity and a crippling sense of anxiety itching up her spine.

Parker shrugs, suddenly tired. “You know everything about me, Mom.”

Rey lifts a brow at him. He was always a quiet boy, but very transparent to his mother. But even then, she will only know so much of what her boy feels.

“Do I know everything about you though, Mom?”

The question throws her off. And Parker, being the sharp-witted boy that he is, adds on for clarity.

“I know we don’t have much, Mom,” Parker then says, as if he was confessing a dirty secret. He hesitates to meet his mother’s eyes. “You don’t have to pretend all the time. It gets tiring.”

Rey works to the bone to keep a roof atop both their heads. And this was at the expense of Parker’s youth – he had to grow up faster than the other kids when his mother could not always accompany out to normal Sunday play dates like a normal family would.

For so long she makes it a point to give the illusion of how financially-comfortable they are. Perhaps Parker is reaching the age where he can no longer be fooled: the lean meals, the strict electricity usage, the coupon-cutting ritual they have every Saturdays have always been dead giveaways.

“We _are_ fine, Parker. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her son does not buy it however. It almost looks like she hurt him from not trusting him enough to be honest.

“There are hiccups,” Rey tries again. A bid to retcon her mistake. “But like you said, _there’s no monsters in the closet_. You trust me, don’t you?”

Parker does not seem pleased with the monster closet metaphor. Rey gently takes his face and Parker finally meets her eyes.

“Yes, Mom.”

“Good. Nothing to worry about.” She kisses his forehead and makes to get her coat. “Now I’m headed to work. Tuck yourself in for me early, will you?”

She nips Parker’s nose and this time he rolls his eyes in half amusement.

“And maybe we can go out to eat at Maz’s tomorrow after school,” she tells him, an excited glint in her eyes that Parker mirrors. They had enough coupons for a highly-subsidized meal.

“Don’t take the bus, I’ll pick you up right after class.”

“Wait! But I still have a reading session with Mr Solo after class.”

“Another one?”

“Yes. It’s our arrangement.”

Rey hums, a little surprised at this. “Your teacher is very dedicated, huh?”

“I think he’s great. I like learning from him.”

This bit confounds Rey. It’s not exactly what she was told from the parent-teacher conference.

“Parker,” she says. “Mr Solo said you weren’t very interested in his class.”

“That was _before_ , Mom,” he corrects her. “I like learning from him now. He answers my questions even if it clearly irritates him.”

 

***

 

“Mr Solo, I have a few questions about Johnny’s family?”

Ben was in a lighter mood today. Instead of marking his other students’ works, he listened fully to Parker’s reading of his assigned book, with his feet crossed on his desk and his arms stretched behind his head.

There was an animation in Parker’s voice that was hard to ignore. The book was clearly intriguing the boy. It would be a waste to only be half-paying attention.

“Sure. Shoot, kid.”

Parker shifts on his seat and taps on the page of his book.

“I don’t know why the author writes him with such a sad family background. I think it’s depressing. He shouldn’t have written Johnny in such a sad way.”

Ben crosses his arms and raises his index finger. “Okay, first, the author’s a girl. She wrote this book.”

The boy seems surprised.

“S.E. Hinton was only fifteen when she did this book, so what she wrote was what she saw around her. This book is great because it tells us the situation of what boys from broken families and neglected neighbourhoods were up to back then.”

“It doesn’t sound as different as what we go through today, though.”

Parker’s deep-thinking frown inclines Ben to prod further, “And what is that, kid?”

He’s not expecting it, but Parker goes on a tirade about not fitting in among his peers, and wishing that the Greasers from SE Hinton’s book were around. He would hang with them, he says, and thinks that they will get along really well.

The confession unsettles Ben. Because these were the tirades of an emotionally-compromised boy.

 _He_ would know.

When Parker’s done, Ben clears his throat to regain his focus. “Well, that’s the beauty of it, I guess. The human experience is universal. We’re not the only ones experiencing pain.”

Flashes of the relationships he had severed and considered making amends with cross his mind. But he squanders it.

“Do you experience pain, Mr Solo?” Parker asks almost immediately. “Everyone seems to be living life easily.”

His voice sounded sad, which was a huge contrast to his more animated tone from having just read the book aloud.

In that moment, Ben understood what Parker meant. The kid had no friends – he wouldn’t know that others experience pain the way he does, albeit in different contexts.

“Everyone goes through pain, kid,” Ben carefully says. “You just don’t realise it because we make it a point to look like we don’t.”

The boy looks unsatisfied by this. “Why do people do that?”

“You could say it’s a form of a defense-mechanism.”

“ _What_?”

Parker’s genuinely confused look prompts Ben to briefly explain how humans like to preserve themselves: to give the image that they’re better than what they are, or an image of who they want people to see them as.

As he was explaining this, Parker’s face falls into understanding, before morphing into another form of realisation. Almost like Ben planted an idea in him again.

“You think a lot, kid,” Ben says, withholding a chuckle that the boy does not find humour in.

He’s glad his readings are engaging Parker really well. He’s just worried about the aftermath of it all.

“I just,” the boy hesitates. Not because he’s shy, but because he’s trying to articulate his thoughts. “I just think my _mom_ does this too.”

Ben does not say anything. He’s curious, but doesn’t want to be intrusive. The boy, however, has no qualms about such fears. He genuinely needed friends and was more than willing to share.

“She pretends we’re fine – but I’ve seen the red bills arrive at our doorstep. And the times when Mr Plutt knocks like a caveman on our door, demanding for money when she’s at work.” Ben was about to cut in, but Parker beats him to it, “I want to help, but she still treats me like a baby.”

“You’re too young to help her, that’s why Parker,” Ben says, concern tinging his voice.

Parker seems dissatisfied to hear him echo his mother’s sentiments.

With a careful look, Ben tries again, “Don’t get me wrong - I think that’s very noble of you, kid. But the only way you can help your mother now is if you do well in school.”

“My grades won’t earn us money.”

“Yes, but it’ll open up opportunities that will, kid.”

Parker falls silent and this unsettles Ben as much as he does not want to be. With a sigh, he attempts to steer the conversation into lighter grounds to conclude their day.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The boy takes his time to think. He looked just like Rey during the parent-teacher conference, when she was trying to think about her boy.

“I just want to live comfortably…?”

“You need to think bigger than that,” Ben mutters. He gets up to pack his things. “Don’t you have any ambitions? Like go to Mars or something?”

“Well, a doctor would be nice,” Parker finally says, following his teacher to clear up the classroom and leave. “My mom talks about the great work they do in the hospital. She’s a nurse. But I wouldn’t want to have shifts like hers. She always comes home tired.”

Ben can picture Rey in the same hospital scrubs that he saw her in the first time. She had looked frazzled then. It isn’t hard to mentally conjure up the picture of her arriving home to Parker.

“You said S.E. Hinton wrote _The Outsiders_ when she was fifteen,” Parker speaks up again as they get to the hallway. “I want to be an author too by that age.”

The kid’s conviction impresses Ben.

He smirks down at Parker. “Really, now?”

He thinks that Parker does not realise how difficult writing a book is. Moreover, getting it published. Still, he lets him stay optimistic about it.

The boy grins smugly up at his teacher. He could see his future unfold before his eyes.

“And I want _you_ to help vet it too, Mr Solo.”

Ben narrows his eyes at the boy. Surely, he is kidding? But Parker seems nothing but genuine. It’s a touching addition. He isn’t a writer himself but he takes it as a compliment anyway.

“Sure thing, kid.”

Ben suppresses a smile. A thought flashes past his mind then.

“You do my assignments well, write that stellar first draft of your book and I’ll be your _humble_ editor.”

Parker is beaming up at him now as they get out of the campus building. “Sounds like a plan, Mr Solo.”

“ – Parker?”

Both Ben and the kid turn their attention to the source of the voice.

Rey scurries over to them with a big grin aimed at her son.

“Mom!”

Before Ben realizes it, Parker had zipped past his side to ambush his mother in a tight hug. It makes Rey squeal a bit, and Ben thinks he likes the sound of her shrill voice. Parker’s still a short kid, so his arms wrap around his mother’s waist and Ben can’t help but notice the lovely floral summer dress Rey has on.

“How was your reading session?” Rey asks after drawing slightly away from her son.

Her eyes glance briefly up at Ben before looking down back at Parker.

“We’re down to the last three chapters, before we get to the next book.”

Parker releases his mom and wriggles himself out of her tight grip. A few kids seem to have noticed him, which in turn made him self-conscious again. Ben notices this odd reflex from aside.

“Mr Solo agreed to be my editor too,” Parker quickly says, regaining his composed cool-kid stance.  

“ _Editor_?”

Rey looks at Ben properly now, an uncertain laugh escaping her before she could help it.

“What’s that about?”

Ben decides to step forward, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious himself as he digs his hands in his pockets and smiles uncertainly at Parker’s mother.

“Just a deal we have, Parker wants to publish his own book by 15. So we’ve got some years of work to do.”

Rey watches her son exchange knowing looks with his teacher.

“And what’s your end of the deal?” She couldn’t help but ask.

Ben looks like a deer caught in the headlights. But he quickly recovers and shrugs. “I just don’t want to conduct summer school.”

This makes Rey laugh, even if Parker looked slightly miffed by his harmless joke. The boy knew that his teacher wanted more than that from him anyway.

“Are we heading to Maz’s diner now, Mom?”

Rey recovers from her amusement and nods her head eagerly at her boy. “Right, we are. Why don’t you get the car started up for me first, love?”

She misses the rather surprised look she earns from Ben at having heard her request. She nonchalantly pulls out the car keys and hands it over to Parker, as she has done countless of times before.

They watch Parker scurry away, leaving the two adults alone in the middle of the front campus building. When Parker is well out of earshot, Rey turns to look at Ben with a hesitant smile on her face.

Ben knew that look. It’s the look when supervisors have something ugly to say in a sugarcoated manner.

“Mr Solo, I actually wanted to talk to you about those storybooks you got my son to read.”

“ _Reference texts,_ Mrs Niima – “

“ _Rey_.”

“My bad. Rey.”

Rey pulls a little at her floral skirt and shakes her head. It almost looked like she was pepping herself to get on with what she had to say.

“I’m just worried that what Parker’s reading isn’t good for him.”

Ben matches her eyes and frowns in return. “I don’t think I follow.”

Pausing to think, Rey strings up her argument in her head before opening her mouth to speak. “I feel like it’s taking his innocence away.”

 _Wow_. It’s hard for Ben to contain his utter surprise at hearing this from her.

“I mean, the _Greasers_ , jumping rival gang members, _dying_ characters,” Rey begins to list out. “Not to mention young boys almost Parker’s age with terrible family backgrounds. I don’t think any of these are healthy for him.”

Ben was put on the defense now. He shakes his head at her and holds a finger up to pin her thoughts in the moment.

“Rey, I think you’re missing the point: my assignment has helped to open up your son’s cognitive abilities.”

“I don’t think it’s effective.”

“ - I mean no disrespect here,” Ben urges a little more now. “But these books are no different from most of the country’s assigned literary books.”

“Why couldn’t they read Luke Skywalker’s works instead?”

Rey’s face is evidently disappointed at what she was hearing from Mr Solo. Ben, in turn, does not believe how she takes him aback with her ridiculous suggestions all over again.

“Mr Skywalker isn’t a renowned writer.” He squints his eyes at Rey, as if looking for any signs of jest from her. “His works have not gained traction and credibility among literary academics because of its superficially illogical nature.”

His statement offends Rey, the self-proclaimed avid Skywalker fan.

“Reading his works might be a disservice to our students _and_ your son,” Ben carries on. He shrugs a little for an extra effect. “There’s a reason why Principal Holdo hasn’t let him use his own works for his classes before.”

Rey crosses her arms now and nods. But the frown on her face tells him that she is far from conceding.

“Parker’s asking me strange questions that gets me worried.”

“What questions may I ask?”

“Questions that only _adults_ worry about.”

Ben cannot help but smirk humorlessly. “Is that not a good thing?”

“My boy does not need to burden himself with our budget woes.”

“Forgive me again, miss. But I think you’re trying to shelter your son too much.”

This silences Rey. Her next words are beyond churlish.

“No, I _am_ not.”

Ben huffs a little. “I think you are.”

“ _No_.”

“ _Yes_. I think you are.” Ben shakes his head and pinches his nose. “Listen, I’m no parent but I think it’s right of me to say that you can’t shelter your kid forever.”

“You’re misunderstanding me, Mr Solo.”

“ – Parker’s got great instincts. Instincts of a private investigator. He’s too smart and sharp-witted to be sheltered,” he presses. “If not me, he’ll figure things out himself in no time.”

Her eyes are narrowed in on him. There was an aura of defeat emanating from her. It almost felt like a competition of sorts: who knew what was best for Parker. Normally, Ben would not be so engaged, but Parker has intrigued him as a student.

If something catches Ben’s eye, he commits to keeping watch of it.

“Fine,” Rey says, bitterness hinted in her voice. “Just please, keep in mind? My son says he likes learning from you and I know these books can get contentious at times.”

“I assure you, ma’am, my students won’t get _radicalized_ in my class.”

A small smile cracks on his face. He almost thinks she would not pick up on the deadpan humour. But by the way she rolls her eyes and finally allows herself a small smirk, he is glad she did not take the joke to heart.

“That’s very reassuring, _sir_.”

Rey makes a final nod and turns around without another look. Her beige floral skirt is aired as she walks away and it brushes against the back of her thighs like a summer’s dream.

Ben shakes himself out of it. _Not the kind of distraction_ he needs while said person’s son is under his tutelage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to @Dalzo for offering to beta-read my shabby drafts <3 Her edits and comments have been very energising!
> 
> Updates have slowed down from my ambitious goal to post daily because I've become hyperaware of every single chapter that I've churned out - I wanna inject as much soul into each chapter as possible which isn't the norm for me. New updates will span every 3-5 days anyway! I'm excited to get this story out!! :)


	4. Floral Dress

“Parker,  _ slow down _ . The pizza won’t run away.”

Parker does not heed his mother’s advice. He gobbles down the next slice as if it was his last. This earns him a warning glare.

“Is the school cafeteria not feeding you enough?” Rey watches her son eat like he’s never had food before in his life. It reminds her eerily of her own youth.

Parker’s mouth was too full to speak. At least that prevented him from lying to his mom. He had not eaten at all at school because the tough kids took his lunch tray. He had only gone to the bathroom and it was gone the moment he came back. He knew they took it because they were sniggering at him from the side.

Meanwhile, Rey lets him eat to his heart’s content. She sees Parker’s copy of  _ The Outsiders _ on the side of the table and takes it. Parker’s eyes widen a little, as if she was taking something sacred.

As she mindlessly sips at her lemonade, Rey flips through the pages. Nothing sticks out to her from skimming through it, except for the poem at the back of the book.

“Hm. ‘ _ Nothing Gold Can Stay’ _ .”

“It’s the poem that Johnny and Ponyboy talk about. Read it, Mom.”

“Ok, bossy.” Rey widens the book a little more under her grip.

“ – Not so wide, please, Mom. I don’t want to break the spine.”

Rey rolls her eyes and reads the poem.

“ _ ’Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Hear early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sand to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay _ .’”

“Do you like it?”

“It’s short, but I don’t quite get it, Parker.”

“Mr Solo explained that the poet talks about how nothing can last forever – especially the perfect and beautiful things in life,” Parker says with his mouth full.

He swallows it down and speaks again, “Ponyboy recites it to Johnny Cade when they’re in this abandoned building – I think it was a church? I told Mr Solo it’s my  _ favourite scene  _ – Anyway, he said he kinda liked the poem because it reminded him of his own immortality – and I think I agree.”

Rey’s brows shoot up.

“ – And that’s why he became a teacher.”

“What?”

“When he found this poem again, Mr Solo was still working for the First Order Industries –  _ so cool _ ,  _ right? _ – and it made him realise how much he didn’t like his life with the company even though they had a free pool in the office and expensive pick-up cars so he left to do his own thing.”

Parker seems oblivious to how dumbstruck his mother is at the revelation.

“How does someone from such a company end up at your school as a teacher?”

Parker shrugs. “I asked him that too. He said I was getting chatty and would only answer questions about the book inside class.”

Rey nods, unsatisfied with the shortage of information her son can give her.

“Do you like him, Mom?”

She doesn’t know why the question makes her heat up. Parker sees how visibly miffed his mother is.

“Why are you asking this, Parker?”

“You didn’t look too happy talking to him just now,” Parker says. His voice has gone meek. “I saw from the car.”

_ Oh _ .

Rey thinks about what she said to his teacher. Mr Solo was right about a couple of things. Her son really was a keen observer. Nothing slips past his attention when it needs to be.

And maybe she  _ is _ very overprotective of Parker sometimes. The way she critiqued Mr Solo’s books and suggested a too-easy-to-comprehend children’s book as an alternative makes her cringe now that she thinks about it.

It especially makes her giddy remembering the way he looked at her as if she was a crazy, closed-off woman with eccentric ideologies.

“I wasn’t unhappy,” she clarifies. “I was just  _ concerned _ .”

“Well Mr Solo looked unhappy.”

“We just didn’t see eye to eye at first.”

“About what?”

“About what you’re learning from those storybooks – ‘

“Mom, they’re  _ reference texts _ .” Parker shakes his head, like a disappointed parent would. “Anyway. Do you now, though? See  _ eye to eye _ ?”

She doesn’t know why, but Rey thinks about Mr Solo’s eyes. The way he had to look down at her because he was a tall man, with impressive shoulders and a hard look on his face that softens around her son. It’s hard to ignore such an enigmatic look and not  _ think _ about it.

Rey shakes herself out of it and looks at Parker. She huffs, “I guess. I’m no teacher, so maybe he knows best.  _ For now _ .”

Parker smiles.

“Good.” Parker returns to gobbling down his food. “Because I wouldn’t want my mom to fight my new favourite teacher.”

“You’re saying I have competition now?”

“No, of course not. No one can compete with  _ you _ , Mom.”

“Try harder, Parker,” she teases, not letting him mockingly hurt her so easily.

“You looked very nice in that dress today, Mom.”

“Sounds about right.”

“You’re welcome.”

Rey is baffled by her child’s refreshing change in behavior but she likes it. She smiles back at him and finishes the rest of her food.

***

Classes end earlier on Tuesdays and Fridays. Without much work left to do, Ben pays Luke Skywalker a visit at his home. He has not seen his uncle ever since the mild stroke he suffered from five weeks ago. Lucky for them, it happened when they were both leaving the school campus building together, in the middle of a debate on Plato’s  _ Symposium _ . Ben had caught Luke in his arms in time and shouted for one of the older kids in the vicinity to call for an ambulance.

To say they were lucky was an underestimation. After intensive care, the doctor had advised Luke to install handles and bars within his home to help him with his newfound lack of balance. Ben, being the only nephew and able-bodied relative Luke had, helped with the installations.

On his way to his uncle’s, he got some groceries for him. Luke lives in a shabby apartment that has no elevators. Even it was just on the third floor, the flight of stairs pose a huge physical constraint to the recovering man. Luke would never admit it, because he had the stubborn Skywalker blood in him.

“Those stairs are tiring,” Ben says when he lets himself in. “I told you, you can just stay with me for the next three months.”

Luke, who had been watering his window-side plants, turns to look at Ben. He raises his prescribed cane accusingly at the bag of groceries in Ben’s hands.

“And I told you not to get me  _ anything _ .” He ambles over to where Ben begins to unpack the groceries on his tiny dining table.

“This is the food recommended. They should be easy to prepare,” Ben mutters as he walks over to the cabinets to keep the groceries. “And some fruit to cancel out the fuckton of preservatives you keep in here.”

“Nice to have a responsible parent over here.” Luke grumbles as he makes to prepare the both of them tea.

“I see your typewriter out there. Have you been writing again?”

“Just a couple of samples to warm up for the poetry competition Holdo tasked me to organize last semester.”

Ben looks impressively at his uncle. “I see how no stroke will stop you from working. When is it?”

“It’s an end of term thing that we’re trying to relive. The last one was five years ago before you came in. We stopped because we didn’t have enough cash to give as rewards then. Now we do. Anyway, how’s my class going? Are they learning?”

Ben moves on to unpack the next bag of purchases. “They’re learning, all right. Just not what they  _ should _ be learning.”

“Pray tell,” Luke says, his mouth half-full with an apple already.

“I started marking their essays and they completely missed the themes of the book. I don’t know where I lost them in the three weeks I took over you.”

“ _ All _ of them?”

Ben thinks. Parker has been pretty engaging in their reading sessions. Besides questions regarding life and SE Hinton, his questions have genuinely been pretty on-point with the themes of the book.

“Well there’s this one kid.”

Luke stops chewing halfway. There hasn’t been a kid who’s stuck out to him when he was teaching his own class prior to his stroke. So what Ben has to say must be interesting.

“What kid?”

“I don’t know if you remember, but he was always staring out at the window during class?”

“Ah, yes – the one with the drooping eyes. He always looked so bored. I had half the mind to tell on him to his parents.”

Ben finds offence at the way his uncle describes the boy’s eyes – his mother’s eyes. But he shakes it off anyway.

“What’s his name again?” Luke remembers to ask amidst his rambling.

“Parker Niima.” Ben finishes the last of the groceries and sits opposite his uncle for the tea he’s made him. “He’s a very interesting boy. Reminds me of everything I wasn’t growing up.”

“Oh yeah, like what? You being the ultra nerd that you were?”

Now Ben takes offence at this on Parker’s behalf.

“Tone it down, Luke – the boy’s not a slacker for nothing. He’s got a lot of things going on at home.”

“You speak to him?”

“Been having reading sessions just for him, actually. It started after I let his mom know about his lack of engagement in class.” Ben sips from his cup, his thoughts lingering from Parker to Rey. “His mom’s a huge fan of yours, by the way.”

“Well, that’s a first. Where did she read my works from?”

“I don’t know actually.”

Ben realizes that there is no way Luke’s work could be found so easily in bookstores, or in the local library. Suddenly, he wants to find out the answer from Rey, but the realisation that it might be a while before he sees her again leaves him an unwarranted sense of disappointment.

“Anyway, she thought it better to teach your books instead of the assigned ones. Can you believe it? The one thing that’s not attractive about her–” He stops himself midway, unsure of where that last bit came from. Luke definitely catches it but seems to withhold any comments for now. “Anyway, she’s very protective of her son to that point. So I told her that you weren’t respected enough as an author to be studied.”

Luke lets out a pained laugh. “A bit of respect under my roof would be much appreciated, kid.”

Ben grins in spite of himself. How things can rapidly change in the span of two years. If he had been faced with his uncle two years ago, Kylo Ren would have gotten a restraining order on Luke on the accounts of stalking. Even if it weren’t true, he’d have the means to do so, and he would have done it without remorse.

“So what do you find about  _ her _ that’s attractive?”

“That’s not the point. It’s a mistake.” He’s shaking his head and turning to clear his cup of tea even though he just got started with it.

“Well, I’m changing the points of this conversation. Is she married?”

Ben looks at Luke, half-appalled that his uncle was pushing for this side of the conversation, and the other half of him being unsure of what to say.

“I don’t know,” he gives in. “I never noticed.”

Luke lets his nephew fall into silent contemplation. As an uncle, he knows that Ben has achieved great things in life at an impressive young age. Yet, somehow, he still has  _ yet _ to get his life started.

“Sometimes I wonder what you’re doing in an old man’s apartment, kid.” This earns him a confused look from Ben. “You’re already inheriting my money and my property when I die, don’t tell me you want to inherit my  _ lifestyle _ too.”

The growing bewildered look on Ben’s face is laughable. Luke smirks against his mug.

“I have no single grain of idea what you’re talking about.” Ben shakes his head and pulls out his phone to check his already-checked messages. A serious look befalls on Luke’s face.

“Ben,” he finally says, halting his tall nephew from mindlessly scrolling on his screen. “You know I appreciate everything you’ve done for me since the stroke. But I hope you’re not doing this because you think you’re still doing your  _ penance _ for your past.”

“It’s nothing, uncle.”

“ – And you shouldn’t deny yourself the finer things in life. You  _ deserve _ good things too. A girl. A family.  _ One of your own _ , maybe.”

This conversation is already getting too personal for Ben,but Luke does not relent. He puts a hand on Ben’s shoulder which his nephew eyes suspiciously.

“Tell me about the girl.”

“Look, I don’t even know if she’s married – “

“She isn’t.” Luke says in affirmation.

The certainty in his words is enough to halt Ben completely. Luke would have revelled in the sight of grasping Ben’s child-like attention had it not been for the turn of their conversation.

“I remember Parker now. Besides his eyes, he’s the kid whose haircut is always uneven..” Luke chooses his next words carefully. “His father came by in the middle of class asking for ‘the kid by the window’, about a week before I was hospitalised.”

The idea that he had been under the same building as the man who first claimed Rey is mind-boggling.

“And?”

“The kid didn’t want to go. And his father, probably under some influence, was about to start a scene in my classroom. I had to stop class and accompany Parker to go to his father right outside of the door. And you know what that man said?”

Luke doesn’t need any prodding from Ben. His eyes say it all.

“He bent down to the kid’s height, pointed at his face and said, ‘Tell your mother I need that money from nursing school.’” Luke gestured the scenario as he explained this. “It was chilling. He kept repeating the words until I managed to get one of the students to call for security. Let’s say it wasn’t a pretty sight for any of us to see his father being handled out of campus.”

“How did he even get in - ?”

Luke shrugs, an exaggerated who-knows look on his face.

“I don’t know. Some loophole in the school’s security gate about letting parents and guardians in, I think. But anyway, after class, the kid was oddly cordial enough to come up to my desk and apologise on behalf of his good-for-nothing father.”

Ben can imagine it. Parker carried the responsibilities and honour of a true man at his young age.

“I asked him if everything’s alright at home. He says they only need to get rid of that man, and their money issues, and maybe all will be well. ” Luke watches Ben process what he’s saying. “I’m curious now; to know how that kid’s doing. He and his mother.”

“I didn’t want to be intrusive, so I never asked when the opportunity rose in our sessions.”

“Well, I think you should ask.”

_ “The hell I would!” _

“You’ve never spoke about a student like this before. You clearly care for the boy. And his mother – “

“ – That is  _ not _ what this is.”

“ – Don’t lie to yourself, Ben. You need to seize the opportunities that naturally present itself to you.”

“I’m going now.”

Alarm sirens ring in Luke’s head. He’s losing his nephew now, who’s quickly closing himself off.

“Your mother called too.” It’s a desperate plea to keep his nephew’s attention, but clearly the alternative is not working. “When are you going to speak to her again, Ben?”

“When I’m not busy.”

Ben knows that he’s had more time on his hands now than he ever had in the First Order company. His refusal to speak to his mother is unfounded on his part, but he can’t quite find the words to say to her face just yet. Like his life, he wants order and control over whatever surprising turns it may have. His mother is just another obstacle that he has no control over.

***

 

There is no reading sessions with Mr Solo on Wednesdays, but Parker visits his classroom after class hours anyway despite just having seen him the day before. It’s not like he has any friends to hang out with anyway. The only person he could try hanging out with was the cool teacher.

As expected, however, Mr Solo is no longer in the classroom – probably out for a break. Parker thinks that if he reads outside his classroom, he will eventually see him. So he rummages his bag for his book, pulling it out to read. He only has a few pages left before he’s officially done with the first assigned book, but he wants to re-read the chapter on the old abandoned church. The one where Ponyboy and Johnny Cade hide out in and read Robert Frost’s poem.

The scene makes him feel inspired. It helps that their town has an abandoned building that was meant to be a church too. He likes to imagine that, in another life, he would actually find Ponyboy and Johnny Cade there. So with a small grin spreading across his face, Parker opens up the pages and begins to read on the floor in front of Mr Solo’s classroom door.

“Aw, did your favourite teacher abandon you?”

Parker looks up.

Standing before him is the biggest kid in their batch. The one who liked to pick up on the scrawny kids, which unfortunately included him.

“I gave you my lunch money already, Toby – “

“I don’t want your lunch money, Niima.” There’s a sly pause in his words. “I saw your mom come pick your ass up yesterday. Did Mr Solo tell on you, Parker?”

“There’s nothing for Mr Solo to tell my mom.”

Parker goes to stand, but Toby grabs him by the collar. Struggling, Parker wriggles from his hold. “What the hell do you want, Toby – “

“For a start, I want  _ your mom _ .”

Parker frowns. “What did you say?”

At first he thinks Toby is being stupid and needy. The wicked grin that spreads on Toby’s face makes Parker’s blood boil however. There’s an innuendo behind his words that could make Parker barf out his breakfast then and there.

He manages to wriggle out of Toby’s grasp and looks him dead in the eye; a bid to look threatening. His height however is just short of Toby’s.

“It was a very nice dress your mom was wearing yesterday,” Toby taunted, the wicked look on his face only growing. “Very pretty. I could see  _ through _ it, I think.”

“ -  _ Don’t _ talk about my mom like that,” Parker seethed.

“ - I think Mr Solo would agree.”

Parker knows that the bully is just trying to throw him off, warping what he saw of the three of them yesterday for his own malicious manipulation.

But still, the temptation to punch him for bringing in two of his most admired people is very strong. That’s why Parker never liked being out in the open. He was too visible by everybody, even when he thinks he doesn’t garner much attention.

“You’re disgusting,” Parker spits back.

He pays no attention to how tight his hands are clenched. He’s almost vibrating with fury.

Meanwhile, Toby feigns offence. “ _ Me _ ? Disgusting?”

“ _ Yes _ .”

“I can’t help but be turned on by your mother, Parker,” Toby laughs. And it’s chilling to the bone.

A  _ sicko _ in the making.

“ –  _ Niima _ .  _ Beckett _ .”

Mr Solo comes striding towards them. The look on his face is hard and serious on both boys. “What are you two doing here?”

It’s hard not to miss the enraged look on Parker’s face. He clearly walked into something in the nick of time. When Parker does not speak, Ben looks at the other kid.

His face impassive, but his tone threatening, “What is it, Beckett?”

The bigger kid clearly isn’t fazed by the teacher’s height and unsettling presence. Toby glances from Parker to Mr Solo and smirks.

“Nothing, Mr Solo,” he says, all too pleased with himself. Parker finds the need to punch that look out of his face. “I was just telling Parker here how nice it would be of his  _ mom _ to give me a bucket for my birthday.”

Both Parker and Mr Solo frown at him, clearly perplexed.

“What bucket?” Parker wanted to add on that his mom didn’t even  _ know _ Toby. He’s shaking with too much anger to be coherent, however.

Ben was about to dismiss Toby away, unsure of what game the smart alec is trying to play, but Toby speaks up before he can voice it.

“Oh, didn’t she  _ tell _ you?”

Toby basks in the power he has over both Parker’s and Mr Solo’s attention.

Ben only then realizes the chaos Toby is about to unleash.

“I asked her to be my  _ cumbucket _ .”

A feral scream comes out of Parker’s mouth. He does not think before one of his clenched fists is thrown at Toby’s nose in an instant. It produces a cracking sound that drowns out Mr Solo’s booming voice in the background.

But just as Parker was about to pull back for another swing, the big kid grabs the side of his face and brings it down as they fall. Parker hits the side of his face against the floor with a thud and pain shoots through his skull.

He feels Toby get on him, ready to beat him up like the first time. But it’s only for a second before Toby’s weight is removed off of him forcefully.

He can’t comprehend the words Mr Solo is saying to Toby. It’s blurry and a hazy string of angry words. The sound of Mr Solo’s enraged voice is unlike anything he has heard of before.

Parker is still trying to regain his focus through the pain when he feels a large hand shake him.

“Parker.  _ Parker _ .” It’s Mr Solo’s voice. Quieter, but firm.

“I’m  _ fine _ .” He manages to croak out.

The kid has determination, and it relieves Ben who thought that he had lost consciousness for a second there. Parker pushes himself up in spite of his throbbing head and glances at Toby’s way with a murderous look.

Toby was bleeding from the nose and it gives Parker a sick sense of satisfaction. Little did he realise he was bleeding from the side of his face too.

“A great show of strength … and  _ stupidity _ ,” Mr Solo huffs, a little breathless from having to handle a hyperviolent Toby off of Parker.

He sounds pissed.

Very pissed.

Parker pays no concern to it.

“You two in the office.  _ Now _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah this shit's harder to write than smut.
> 
> also i am appalled at how sucky the first draft i submit to @dalzo is for quality assurance. i'm so grateful :") thank you for your dedication to clean my shit up.
> 
> anyway, where the previous chapters have been quite parker-centric, we'll be seeing a more pronounced shift to rey/ben soon enough. i know it can be agonising for the sake of plot, but i promise it will be worth it!

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what you read, leave your mark below please!
> 
> Find me on Twitter @reylomami too :)


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